Spatially power-combined W-band power amplifier using stacked CMOS

A spatially power-combined CMOS SOI power amplifier at 94 GHz is reported. The CMOS chip contains a 2×4 array of pseudo-differential power amplifiers, and is integrated with a microstrip antenna array on a quartz superstrate. A 13-stage amplifier chain is implemented to provide gain, using stacked NFETs in a 45-nm CMOS SOI process. The amplifier array outputs a power of 24 dBm (250 mW) and the chip-quartz assembly radiates an equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of 33 dBm at 94 GHz. This is the highest radiated power reported from a Silicon CMOS active array transmitter at W-band, and the highest W-band output power from a single CMOS chip.

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